Battery carrier



J1me 1959 A. s. PINKERSON BATTERY CARRIER Original Filed Feb. 18, 1957 INVENTOR United States Patent Ofiice Re. 24,661 Reissued June 23, 1959 BATTERY CAM Albert S. Pinkerson, Glencoe, lll., to Berkson Products, lnct, incorporation of Illinois Original No. 2,816,791, dated December 17, 1957, Serial No. 640,876, February 18, 1957'. A pli cation for reissue March 10, 1958, Serial No. 72 ,518

Claims. (Cl. 294-92) Matter enclosed in heavy brackets II" appears in the original patent but forms no part of'thls reissue specification; matter printed in indicates the additions made by reissue.

However, with the advent of automotive electrical sys- 1 terns which require batteries of incleased voltage, for some reason or another, batteries have been constructed with the terminals thereof located in "a plane that is ofise't from a plane through the battery's center ofgravity. The use of flexible battery carriers, of the" type which have been heretofore known, with these newer" batteries is'um desirable, because they result in i'tching or" tilting of "the battery, and any tilting of the battery may'resul't in costly and damaging discharge of the a'cld solutio'n from the battery.

The recent trend in batteries is not only toward a'rranging the batterys terminals displaced in onerdireetion from the center of gravity of the batteryybut certain types of batteries are now available where the batterys terminals are displaced inttwo'rha'ections, to each other, with respect to the centerof gravity ofthebattery; This further complicates the prohlern of providing a simplified battery carrier. I

Thus, one object of thisinvention is-to'pr'ovide azbattery carrier for use with batterieswhereinthe terminals thereof are offset from a plane through the battery-scenter of gravity.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved battery carrier which is useful both with a battery wherein the batterysterminals are offset in one direction froma plane through. the center of gravity of the battery, and. is useful also with batteries wherein the batterys terminals are olfset in two directionnnormal to each-other, from the batterys center of gravity.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel battery carrier that is characterized by its simplicity and inexpensiveness of construction and, by its efiiciency of performance. v

Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize this invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming part of this specification.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the new battery carrier;

Figure 2 is a cross-section view taken on line 22 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the battery carrier of- Figure 1 connected to the terminals of a battery which are offset in one direction from a plane through the center of gravity of the battery;

Figure 4 is an end elevation view of the battery and battery carrier of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is similar to Figure 3 and shows the battery carrier of Figure 1 connected to the terminals of a battery wherein the terminals are offset with respect to a longitudinal axial plane through the batterys center of gravity, and where said terminals are also offset with respect to atransverse axial plane through the ba'tterys center of gravity; and

Figure 6 is a side elevation view showing the battery carrier and battery of Figure 5.

Referring now to the-drawings, there is shown in Figure l a' battery carrier generally indicated at 10. The carrier includes pair of battery-terminal grips, or gripping means, generally indicated at 12. Each terminal grip 12 isf'orr'ned to define a terminal gripping portion and a connecting portion. As best seen in Figures 1 and 2, said terminal grip 1'2 includes a pair of members 14' and 15 arranged in scissor fashion. The member 14 defines a ring portion 16 for slipping over a battery's terminal, and an upwardly bent flange 18' which is aper turedat 20. The member 15' defines a semicircular-por ticn 22; a neck portion 2'4 which extends through the slotted aperture 20, and a connecting portion 26. The connecting portion defines a slotted aperture at 28;

The carrier 10' includes an elongated rigid handle member 30" from" which depend a pa-ir ofelongated port members: each generally indicated at 32. Each support member 32 is arranged so that its upper end is connected to the: handle 30 and its lower endiis conneoted to "the connecting portion 26 of a terminal grip 12;

Theupper portion of each support member is shaped to define an aperture 34 arranged for slidably receiving.

the handle 30. This arrangement permits of. sliding movementor the support members 3 2-along the length of the handle 30. The lower end of eachsupport member 32 definesa-U-shaped-st-rap which serves to provides sliding pivot connection-between the support. member 32 and the terminal grip 12. A

More specifically, each support member .32 includes an elongated segment, or portion 36,- and. an inverted U-shaped strap 37 isriveted, or otherwise appropriately secured, thereto. to define the aperture 34. A second U-shaped strap 38 is. riveted to the lower end of support segment '36, and the big-ht of the U is spaced from the portion 36 so as to provide a recess 46- within which the connecting portion 26 of thetermi-nal grip may move, thus providing. for sliding and pivoting, of the terminal grip 12, vrelative to-the support member 3'2; aboutan axisv that is maintained substantially parallel to thelongitudi'nal' axis 05 ther handle 30. The handle 30 is provided' at both ends thereof with a head, or stop member, 4 2. for. limiting the sliding movement of the su port members 32 alon the handle. v p

The use of the battery carrier is best illustrated in Figures 3' 6. In Figures 3 and 4 there is shown a battery B having. terminals T which are o'fiset with respect to the longitudinal axial plane through the center of gravity of the battery. Such displacement can best be seen in the end elevation vicwof Figure 4 When theterminal grips '12 are connected to the terminals T so that the battery is suspended from'th'e carrier, the eonstruetionand, arrang'ement of the'batt'ery carrier is such, and the'lat'eral offset of the connecting portions 26 is uch, that the sup port members. 32' and the handle 30 are then disposed substantially in the longitudinal "axial plane through. the center of gravity ofthe battery, as can best be seen in Figure 4. The carrier thereby provides means for carrying the battery B upright without any tipping or spilling of acid from the battery. i

In Figures and 6 there is shown a battery B having terminals T. In Figures 5 and 6 the terminals T are located in a plane that is not only oflset with respect to the longitudinal axial plane through the center of gravity of the battery, in the manner as shown in Figures 3 and 4, but it will be also seen that both of the terminals T are located, as shown in Figure 5, to the left of the center of gravity of the battery. In other words, the terminals T are also offset with respect to a transverse axial plane through the center of gravity of the battery. Figure 6 shows the arrangement of the support members 32 and 30 when the battery carrier is being utilized in carrying a battery of this latter type.

The elongated handle 30 of the battery carrier is of a length that is greater than the spacing between the battery teminals T of Figures 3 and 4, and between the terminals T of Figures 5 and 6. Furthermore, the length of the handle 30 is such that when the terminal grips 12 are connected to the terminals T, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, then a portion of the handle 30 extends laterally a sufficient distance so as to dispose a portion thereof, which is adapted to be manually grasped, above the center of gravity of the battery. With respect to the arrangement in Figures 5 and 6, when the hand-grasp portion, which is located above the cmter of gravity, is being gripped, the left hand support member 32 is in abutting relation to the stop 42 at one end of the handle 30, thereby limiting further sliding movement between the handle 30 and said support member 32. Incidentally, the stop member 42 at the right hand end of the handle 30 provides for cooperation with one's hand, permitting of better gripping of the handle when in the position shown in Figures 5 and 6.

- In Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 the centers of gravity, and the direction in which forces are applied to the handle 30, are designated by means of the vector arrows there shown.

It will be seen that the sliding pivotal connection between the terminal grippers 12 and the support members 32 permits of accommodating minor variations that might occur with respect to the spacings of the terminals T from the plane through the center of gravity of the battery. Furthermore, the battery carrier is so constructed and arranged that the battery terminal grippers 12 are disposed substantially horizontally, as best seen in Fig. ures 4 and 6, when they are connected to the terminals of a battery, while the connecting portions of said grippers 12 extend toward a plane through the center of gravity of the battery, so that the remainder of the carrier is disposed substantially in the vertical plane through the center of gravity of the battery.

While there has been shown and described a particular embodiment of this invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention and, therefore, it is intended in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

l. A battery carrier for carrying batteries having terminals thereon located in a vertical plane that is displaced from a vertical plane passing through the center-ofgravity of the battery, said battery carrier comprising, in combination, a pair of battery-terminal gripper means each having a terminal gripping portion and a connecting portion, said terminal gripping portions, when in operative terminal gripping position, being substantially horizontally disposed and having the centers thereof located in a first vertical plane, and each of said connecting portions being laterally ofiset in the same from said first vertical plane and extending to a point wherein said connecting portions lie [line] in a substantially vertical plane passing through the center-of-grav-ity of the battery, an elongated rigid handle and a pair of elongated depending support members which, when in said operative terminal gripping position, are located in a second vertical plane which passes through the center-of-gravity of the battery and which is spaced from said first vertical plane, means attaching each of said support members at the lower end thereof to the said portion of the connecting portion of a terminal gripper means which lies in a substantially vertical plane passing through the center-ofgravity of the battery, said attaching means being operative to prevent rotation of said battery-terminal gripping elongated handle,] and said arrangement of handle, support members and terminal grippers providing that when said terminal gripping portions are caused to grip battery terminals which are oliset from a plane through the center-of-gravity of the battery, then said offset connecting portions extend toward said center-of-gravity plane so that said handle and support members of the carrier are disposed substantially in said center-of-gravity plane.

2. A battery carrier for carrying batteries having terminals thereon located in a vertical plane that is displaced 1 from a vertical plane passing through the center-of-gravity of the battery, said battery carrier comprising, in combination, a pair of battery-terminal gripper means each having a terminal gripping portion and a connecting portion, said terminal gripping portions, when in operative terminal gripping position, being substantially horizontally disposed and having the centers thereof located in a first vertical plane, and each of said connecting portions being laterally oflset in the same direction from said first vertical plane and extending to a point wherein said connecting portions [line] lie in a substantially vertical plane passing through the eenter-of-gravity of the battery, an elongated rigid handle and a pair of elongated depending support members which, when in said operative terminal gripping position, are located in a second vertical plane which passes through the center-of-gravity of the battery and which is spaced from said first vertical plane, means attaching each of said support members at the lower end thereof to said portion of the connected portion of a terminal gripper means which lies in a substantially vertical plane passing through the center-of-gravity of the battery, said attaching means being operative to prevent rotation of said battery-terminal gripping means relative to said depending support members in a substantially horizontal plane when said battery-terminal gripping means are in operative terminal gripping position, said elongated depending support members being slidably connected at their upper ends to said elongated handle to permit of movement of said support members toward and away from each other on said handle, and said support members being non-rotatable about their longitudinal axes relative to said handle, [said support members each attached at the lower end thereof to the connecting portion of a terminal gripper means and being slidably connected at the upper end to said elongated handle to permit of movement of said support members toward and away from each other on said handle,] said arrangement of handle, support members and terminal grippers providing that when said terminal gripping portions are caused to grip battery terminals which are ofiset from a plane through the center-of-gravity of the battery, then said ofiset connecting portions extend toward said center-ofgravity plane so that said handle and support members of the carrier are disposed substantially in said center-ofgravity plane, and said rigid handle being of a length greater than the spacing of battery terminals which said terminal grippers are adapted to engage.

3. A battery carrier for carrying batteries having terminals .thereon located in a vertical plane that is displaced from a vertical plane passing through the center-ofgravity of the battery, said battery carrier comprising, in combination, a pair of battery-terminal gripper means each having a terminal gripping portion and a connecting portion, said terminal gripping portions, when in operative terminal gripping position, being substantially horizontally disposed and having the centers thereof located in a first vertical plane, and each of said connecting portions :being laterally olfset in the same direction from said first vertical plane and extending to a point wherein said connecting portions [line] lie in a substantially vertical plane passing through the center-of-gravity of the battery, an elongated rigid handle and a pair of elongated depending support members which, when in said operative terminal gripping position, are located in a second vertical plane which passes through the center-of-gravity of the battery and which is spaced from said first vertical plane, means attaching each of said support members at the lower end thereof to said portion of the connected portion of a terminal gripper means which lies in a substan-' tially vertical plane passing through the center-of-gravity of the battery, said attaching means being operative to prevent rotation of said battery-terminal gripping means relative to said depending support members in a substantially horizontal plane when said battery-terminal gripping means are in operative terminal gripping position, said elongated depending support members being slidably connected at their upper ends to said elongated handle to permit of movement of said support members toward and away from each other on said handle, and said support members being non-rotatable about their longitudinal axes relative to said handle, [said support members each attached at the lower end thereof to the connecting portion of a terminal gripper means and being slidably connected at the upper end to said elongated handle to permit of movement of said support members toward and away from each other on said handle,] said arrangement of handle, support members and terminal grippers providing that when said terminal gripping portions are caused to grip battery terminals which are ofliset from a plane through the center-of-gravity of the battery, then said ofiset connecting portions extend toward said center-ofgravity plane so that said handle and support members of the carrier are disposed substantially in said center-ofgravity plane, said rigid handle being of a length greater than \the spacing of battery terminals which said terminal grippers are adapted to engage, said elongated handle providing that when both terminals of a battery are offset with respect to only one of two perpendicular planes through the batterys center of gravity, then a portion of the handle between the support members is disposed above said center of gravity, and when said both terminals of a battery are offset with respect to both of two perpendicular planes through the batterys center of gravity, then a portion of the handle disposed laterally of both support members, is disposed above said center of gravity.

4. A battery carrier for carrying batteries having terminals thereon located in a vertical plane that is displaced from a vertical plane passing through the center-ofgravity of the battery, said battery carrier comprising, in combination, a pair of battery-terminal gripper means each having a terminal gripping portion and a connecting portion, said terminal gripping portions, when in operative terminal gripping position, being substantially horizontally disposed and having the centers thereof located in a first vertical plane, and each of said connecting portions being laterally offset in the same direction from said first vertical plane and extending to a point wherein said connecting portion lie [line] in a substantially vertical plane passing through the center-of-gravity of the battery, an elongated rigid handle and a pair of elongated depending support members which, when in said operative terminal gripping positions, are located in a second vertical plane which passes through the center-of-gravity of the battery and which is spaced from said first vertical plane, means attaching each of said support members at the lower end thereof to said portion of the connected portion of a terminal gripper means which lies in a substantially vertical plane passing through the center-ofgravity of the battery, said attaching means being operative to prevent rotation of said battery-terminal gripping means relative to said depending support members in a substantially horizontal plane when said battery-terminal gripping means are in operative terminal gripping position, said elongated depending support members being slidably connected at their upper ends to said elongated handle to permit of movement of said support members toward and away from each other on said handle, and said support members being non-rotatable about their longitudinal axes relative to said handle, [said support members each attached at the lower end thereof to the connecting portion of a terminal gripper means and being slidably connected at the upper end to said elongated handle to permit of movement of said support members toward and away from each other on said handle,] said arrangement of handle, support members and terminal grippers providing that when said terminal gripping portions are caused to grip battery terminals which are oliset from a plane through the ccnter-of-gravity of the battery, then said offset connecting portions extend toward said centerof-gravity plane so that said handle and support members of the carrier are disposed substantially in said center-ofgravity plane, said rigid handle being of a length greater than the spacing of battery terminals which said terminal grippers are adapted to engage, said support members being pivotable about the longitudinal axis of said handle, the attachment of each support member to the connecting portion of a terminal gripper providing for pivotal movement therebetween about an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said handle, and stop means at the ends of said elongated handle for limiting sliding movement of said support members.

5. A battery carrier for carrying batteries having terminals thereon located in a vertical plane that is displaced from a vertical plane passing through the center-ofgravity of the battery, said battery carrier comprising, in combination, a pair of battery-terminal gripper means each having a terminal gripping portion and a connecting portion, said terminal gripping portions, when in operalive terminal gripping position, being substantially horizontally disposed and having the centers thereof located in a first vertical plane, and each of said connecting portions being laterally oflset in the same direction from said first vertical plane and extending to a point wherein said connecting portions lie in a substantially vertical plane passing through the center-of-gravity of the battery, handle means defining a hand-grasp portion and a pair of elongated depending support portions which, when in said operative terminal gripping position, are located in a second vertical plane which passes substantially through the center-of-gravity of the battery and which is spaced from said first vertical plane, means attaching each of said depending support portions at the lower end thereof to the said portion of the connecting portion of a terminal gripper means which lies in a substantially vertical plane passing through the center-of-gravity of the battery, said attaching means being operative to prevent rotation of said battery-terminal gripping means relative to said depending support portions in a substanlially horizontal plane when said battery-terminal gripping means are in operative terminal gripping position, said elongated de- 7, 8 pending support portions being connected at their upper 941,072 Huber Nov. 23, 1909 ends to said hand-grasp portion and being non-rotatable 1,267,659 Gries May 28, 1918 about their longitudinal axes relative to said hand-grasp 1,628,563 Taylor May 10, 1927 portion, and said arrangement of handle means and termi- 1,671,312 Chase May 29, 1928 nal grippers providing that when said terminal gripping 5 1,753,396 WitkOWSki 6t 31 Apr. 8, 1930 portions are caused to grip battery terminals which are ,7 ,430 Timmons May 13, 1930 offset from a plane through the center-of-gravity of the 1,822, 02 Lidke Sept. 8, 1931 battery, then said oflset connecting portions extend toward 1,915,197 Morgan June 20, 1933 said center-of-gravity plane so that said handle means of 2,105,349 Dawson Jan. 11, 1938 the carrier are disposed substantially in said center-of- 10 1,400 Goldman Nov. 28, 1939 gravity plane. 17 Clark Aug. 19, 1941 2,503,005 Speaker Apr. 4, 1950 References Cited t he file of this patent 2,503,794 Brown Apr. 11, 1950 or the ongmal patent 15 2,697,630 Roberts Dec. 21, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,720,412 K 111 Oct. 11, 1955 2,756,092 Grympa. July 24, 1956 884,434 Walgamott Apr. 14, 1908 2,794,666 Bishman June 4, 1957 

